Taman Sari Palace

Jl. Kyai Haji Wahid Hasyim, no: 129, Yogyakarta.Indonesia

The historic Palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta

Introduction

Yogyakarta or Jogja is known as the cultural heart of Indonesia as the city is full of cultural and historical sites. One of them is the Taman Sari or Water Palace located 500 meters south of the Kraton (Sultans palace). The Taman Sari has an unique architecture, a mix of Javanese and Portuguese style because the first Sultan Hamengkubuwono was helped by Portuguese architects when building it in the mid 18th century.

The first thing impresses us is the unique gateway of Taman Sari with beautiful stone crafts. Inside you will find two water-reservoirs. They were used to be the bathing place of princesses and the kings wives. The baths are decorated with dragon's heads fontains and flower pots around.

Near the Water Palace is an underground mosque. It is an unique place, not only for the location but also the path leading to this mosque. To get there, you need to go through long alleyways and stairs. Normally mosques are build in a square but this unique mosque is shaped round. There is a well at the centre of the mosque, named as Gumilang Well. This mosque was the Sultan's private prayer-place.

The Taman Sari or Water Palace is a must see when you are in Jogja because you will get a good impression of the time of the old kingdoms hundreds of years ago.

Transport options

You can get here from the zero point (the exact centre of the city near the central Post Office) by pedicab or ojeg (motorcycle for public transportation) for less than IDR 10,000 or if you can combine it with a visit to the Kraton as it is within walking distance.

Ticket fees

The ticket fee is IDR 3000 for domestic and IDR 5000 for foreign tourists.

Yogyakarta Travel Guide

Yogyakarta is the second most popular destinations for tourists in Indonesia. It is considered to be the cultural heart of the country with a large student and artist population.
Although this is a popular destination visitor numbers, especially for international tourists are a fraction of those who come to Bali which makes Jogja more cheaper and more special.